Senior Solution Architect

This Senior Solution Architect will report to the Architecture Manager and will work within the Information Services directorate based in our London, Ipswich or Crawley office. You will be a permanent employee.

You will attract a salary of £90,000.00 and a bonus of 7.5%. This role can also offer blended working after probationary period (6 months) - 3 days in the office and 2 remote.

Close Date: 27/02/2025

We also provide the following additional benefits:

• Reservist Leave - Additional 18 days full pay and 22 unpaid
• Personal Pension Plan - Personal contribution rates of 4% or 5% (UK Power Networks will make a corresponding contribution of 8% or 10%)
• Tenancy Loan Deposit Scheme, Season Ticket Loan
• Tax efficient benefits: Cycle to Work, Home & Tech, and Green Car Leasing Schemes
• Occupational Health support
• Switched On - scheme providing discount on hundreds of retailers' products
• Discounted gym membership
• Employee Assistance Programme

Job Purpose

We are looking for an experienced Senior Architect to enhance our Architecture function. This established role is dedicated to strengthening the impact of, and providing recommendations on, technology solutions within UKPN.

As a Senior Architect, you will define and communicate the current and target state architectures across the enterprise to the broader architecture team. You will ensure that the solutions align with, and are informed by, our overarching strategy and architecture principles, supporting organisational goals. In your capacity as a Senior Architect, you will provide guidance, lead engagements, build relationships, and deliver service excellence to our partners.

You will assist projects to deliver swiftly, providing subject matter expertise or leading the delivery of the Solution Architecture, utilising existing patterns and creating new ones as needed.

You will take the lead on new solution and existing system transformation projects, expected to demonstrate thought leadership, comprehensive technology and solutions, and provide direction and advice for digital solutions.

Dimensions

• Direct reports: none.
• Budget: none directly, influencing £2m in solutions and projects.

Principal Accountabilities

• Influence technology strategy by collaborating with business teams and leadership, to understand our needs and ensure agreement on technical solutions.
• Engage with business counterparts in aligned directorates to become a trusted advisor and Solution partner.
• Provide recommendations to maximise the value of technology assets via their implementation, access and utilisation.
• Lead complex and technically challenging architectural transformations, coordinating technical SMEs across multiple vendors and internal technology teams.
• Lead on the design and implementation of enterprise solutions and roadmaps for different technology domains.
• Produce roadmaps that allow frequent and incremental delivery of value to the technology landscape.
• Perform architecture assessments of the existing technology landscape to identify any gaps that may exist and provide recommendations on remediation.
• Ensure proposed solutions are compliant with the UKPN Architecture principles and Cyber security standards.
• Evaluate and recommend technology solutions that align with UKPN strategic goals and roadmap.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, including architecture diagrams and specifications.
• Work with partners, scrum masters, project managers and product owners to define technical solutions designs.
• Translate roadmaps into packages of work that allow frequent incremental delivery of value to be included in change programmes/projects.
• Track, analyse and monitor technology performance metrics of technology solutions and products.
• Seek and use feedback, while supporting adaptive design and agile engineering practices to guide the cooperation of programs and teams towards a shared technical vision.
• Coaching skills to upskill junior members of the team across technical, strategy and delivery.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems or a STEM field (or equivalent project-related experience).
• Hands-on experience in IT management, with a bias towards low carbon technologies.
• Expertise of Solution Architecture in the following domains- Analytics, AI, GIS, DataOps and CRM; will be a bonus.
• Experience as a Senior Architect or similar role in a large, complex IT environment.
• Experience of applying Enterprise Architecture frameworks i.e. TOGAF or ArchiMate.
• Experience leading the review of technical designs in order to approve their implementation.
• Business acumen, and the ability to communicate to executives, business domain stakeholders and technical staff alike.

Health & Safety Responsibilities

Managers and supervisors carry both legal and company responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of their employees, those under their control and those who might be affected by the work undertaken, i.e. public, visitors and employees of other organisations. This includes briefing individuals working for them and ensuring there is the necessary understanding, competence and application of requirements to work safely and without harming the environment.

Employees will ensure they understand the health and safety risks involved in their work activities and their responsibility to apply the controls needed to manage those risks to acceptable levels.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

If you have any queries in connection to this vacancy or your application, please contact us at quoting the vacancy reference number and a member of the team will get in touch with you as soon as possible.